Canon 1D Mark IV versus Fujifilm X-T1

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV and the Fujifilm X-T1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively,
in October 2009 and January 2014. The 1D Mark IV is a DSLR, while the X-T1 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-H (1D Mark IV) and an APS-C (X-T1) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 16 megapixel. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their size, their sensors, their features, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon 1D Mark IV vs Fujifilm X-T1

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Canon 1D Mark IV and the Fujifilm X-T1 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter. You can also toggle the display to switch to a percentage comparison if you prefer that the measures are being expressed in relative terms (in this case, the camera on the left side – the 1D Mark IV – represents the basis for the calculations across all the size and weight measures).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Fujifilm X-T1 is considerably smaller (53 percent) than the Canon 1D Mark IV. Moreover, the X-T1 is substantially lighter (64 percent) than the 1D Mark IV. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses
that both of these cameras require. A larger imaging sensor will tend to go along with bigger and heavier lenses, although exceptions exist.
You can find an overview of optics for the two cameras in the Canon EF Lens Catalog (1D Mark IV) and the Fujinon X Lens Catalog (X-T1). Mirrorless cameras, such as the X-T1, have moreover the advantage that they can use many lenses from other systems via adapters, as they have a relatively short flange to focal plane distance.

Concerning battery life, the 1D Mark IV gets 1500 shots out of its LP-E4 battery,
while the X-T1 can take 350 images on a single charge of its NP-W126 power pack. As can be seen in the images above, the 1D Mark IV has a battery grip build in. This facilitates image-taking in portrait orientation
and gives it additional battery power. In order to provide similar functionality for the X-T1, Fujifilm provides the VG-XT1 vertical grip as an optional accessory
(see here on eBay).

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, just use the right or left
arrows in the table to switch to the respective camera. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the CAM-parator app and
make your selection from the full list of cameras there.

Any camera purchase will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The X-T1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 66 percent) than the 1D Mark IV, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Canon 1D Mark IV vs Fujifilm X-T1

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon 1D Mark IV features an APS-H sensor and the Fujifilm X-T1
an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the X-T1 is 29 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.3 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

Even though the 1D Mark IV has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 16 megapixel.
This implies that the 1D Mark IV has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels
(with a pixel pitch of 5.70μm versus 4.80μm for the X-T1), which gives it a potential advantage
in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the X-T1 is much more recent (by 4 years and 3 months) than the 1D Mark IV, and its sensor
will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the X-T1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The X-T1 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in relatively fast and reliable autofocus acquisition during video recording.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-T1 provides a faster frame rate than the 1D Mark IV. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison: Canon 1D Mark IV vs Fujifilm X-T1

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-T1 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the 1D Mark IV has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 1D Mark IV and Fujifilm X-T1 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras. The full specs-sheets can be found in the camera manual or in the dpreview camera hub.

One feature that is present on the 1D Mark IV, but is missing on the X-T1 is a top-level LCD.
While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 1D Mark IV writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the X-T1 uses SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails.

More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.

More compact: Is smaller (129x90mm vs 156x157mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.

Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 790g or 64 percent) and is thus easier to take along.

More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.

Easier file upload: Has wifi build in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.

More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (66 percent cheaper at launch).

More modern: Reflects 4 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 1D Mark IV launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-T1 is the clear winner of the contest (12 : 8 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera.

1D Mark IV 08:12 X-T1

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras is instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the 1D Mark IV and the X-T1 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable. This is why expert reviews are important. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. An an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool. If the camera you are interested in is not available, please send me an email, and I will try to update the database with the necessary infos.